Ironing-machine



(N0 Model.) H r 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. W. PHILLIPS.

IRONING MACHINE. No 547,028. Patented Oct. 1, 1895.

WITNESSES [)VVE/VTOQ? ANDREW EGHMMM. FHmO-UTHO.WASHINFION.D C.

- NHE *rA'rns WILLIAM PHILLIPS, OF NOR'IHVILLE, MICHIGAN.

IRONING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 547,028, dated October1, 1895.

Application filed November 19, 1894:. Serial No. 529,231. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Northville, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Ironing-Machines; and Ideclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has for its object certain new and useful improvements inan ironing-machine, and has in view greater simplicity, economy, andefficiency.

It consists of the construction, combination, and arrangement of devicesand appliances hereinafter specified and claimed, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view in perspective. Fig.2 is a detail view of the fork of the lever. Fig. 3 is a detail viewillustrating the manner in which the track is supported upon the frame.Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4 4, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is apartial side elevation showing one of the supports for thepolishing-iron and other devices. Fig. 6 is a detail view, in section,on the line 6 6, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail View of one of the plates ofthe bearing for the axis of the polishing-iron, showing alsoball-bearings. Fig. 8 is aview of a modification, showing aroller-bearing. Fig. 9 is a horizontal section through a bearing of thepolishing-iron; and Fig. 10 is a view of a portion of the machine,showing a modification of the gearing whereby it is adapted for rotatingthe polishing-iron in the opposite direction to the movement of theironing-board.

My invention is designed more particularly to provide a manual-powermachine of superior utility, and which can be operated with more easeand by which more satisfactory results can be obtained than in otherdevices of this class heretofore constructed.

Accordingly I carry out my invention as follows:

A represents a supporting -frame. This frame may be of any suitableconstruction within the scope of my invention; but I prefer to constructit, as shown, of suitable piping joined together. A frame constructed ofpiping is obviously simple and economical. The legs of the frame may beprovided with any suitable feet A, by which the machine may be fastenedin place. As so made, A denotes the end braces or portions of thesupporting-frame. It will be understood that the various portions of theframe may be connected by suitable unions (1.

B B represent tracks for a traveling support 0, made reciprocatorythereupon.

C denotes an ironing-board upon the support 0.

The tracks B B are supported by suitable brackets B, engaged upon theend pieces A of the frame in any suitable manner. These brackets areeach preferably constructed, as shown more particularly in Fig. 3, of asupporting metal strap B a concaved block B and a concaved metal strap Ethe straps B and B being bolted upon the intermediate block B as shownat b and b, the strap B also being bolted to the track, as shown at b Ddenotes a polishing-iron, having the extremities of its axis journaledin bearings E E.

F denotes supports or supporting-brackets engaged upon the frame A.These supports or brackets F are preferably constructed of a castingrecessed toward its lower .end, as shown atf, to partially embrace thesupporting-frame A. F denotes a metal strap also recessed intermediateits ends, as shown at f, to partially embrace the supporting-frame, saidstrap being bolted to the bracket, as shown at f The casting is formedwith guide'flanges F F within which the bearing E at one end of thepolishing-iron has a vertically reciprocatory movement. I prefer thateach of the bearings E should be formed of plates E E, having theirouter edges recessed for engaging with the supports, and boltedtogether, as shown at 6. Between the plates E E, as indicated in Figs. 6and 7, I have located ball-bearings, as shown at E the plates E E beingrecessed adjacent to the polishing-iron to partially receive the balls.Instead of the ball-bearings E my invention contemplates roller-bearingsalso, as indicated at E Fig. 8, located. between the plates E E. Iconnect, preferably, with each of the bearings E a depending arm G, theupper end of which may be engaged between the plates E E and held inplace by one of the connecting-bolts e. The lower end of the arm Gpreferably extends through the adjacent portion of the frame A, asindicated in Figs. 1 and 5. The frame may be cut away adjacent to thelower end of the arm G, as shown at a. Upon the arm G is a spring G, thetension of which may be regulated by an adjusting-nut g. The upper endof the spring G may bear against a cross-arm f of the support F. Thenormal tendency of the springis intended to force the polishing-irondown and to hold it in firm engagement upon the ironing-board O and tocause a suitable friction between the traveling ironing-board and thepolishing-iron when in operation. The spring will obviously give ayielding fractional contact of the polishing-iron upon theironing-board. To raise the polishing-iron off from the ironing-boardwhenever desired, I provide a footlever H, preferably formed with a yokeII at its upper end, having arms 11 fulcrumed upon thelower end of thesupport F, as shown at h. It will be evident that the operator, byplacing his foot uponthe treadle of the lever H, will exert a pressureupward upon the polishing-iron to raise itoff from the ironing-board,the spring restoring it to normal position when the pressure upon thelever H is removed. The bearings E will thus slide vertically upon theguides F in the support F. By cutting away the frame, as at a, ashereinbefore mentioned, the upper end of the lever H, which is providedwith laterally-projecting ears h to engage with the lower ends of thearms G, will have a free upward movement at that point. Thepolishing-iron may be heated in any desired manner, as by means of agasoline burner 1, extended into the interior of the polishing-iron. Toreciprocate the traveling support C with the ironing-board thereupon, Iprefer to employ a friction-roller J, mounted upon a shaft J, providedwith an operating-handle J The shaft J has its bearingsj in the supportsF. These bearings are preferably in the nature of ball-bearings, asindicated in Fig. 5, the bearings being constructed essentially the sameas the bearings for the polishing-iron. It will be apparent that thepolishing-iron, exerting its pressure upon the ironing-board, forces thetraveling support into contact with the friction-roller J, so that Whenthe friction-roller is rotated, by means of the operating-handle J theironingboard will be reciprocated horizontally beneath thepolishing-iron. It is well understood that in ironing damp goods thesurface of the polishing-iron adjacent thereto becomes quickly cooled,so that itis desirable to change the surface of the polishing-iron, sothat a well-heated surface will be brought into contact witlrthe goods.My invention, to this end, contemplates the rotation of thepolishing-iron in operation, which I accomplish, preferably, byproviding one extremity of the axis of the polishing-iron with asprocket-wheel K. An additional sprocket- Wheel L is located-upon thecorresponding extremity of the shaft J of the friction wheel or rollerJ.

M denotes a sprocket-chain engaged upon the sprocket-wheels K and L,whereby the polishing-iron will be rotated at a desired speed as thefriction-roller is operated. An additional sprocket-wheel N is journaledon the stud N, which is adjustably secured to the support F by means ofthe slot N The chain M. is led over the sprocket-wheels K and N with aportion in engagement with the sprocket-wheel L, which will cause thepolishing-iron to rotate in the same direction with the movement of theironing-table. However, if it is desired to rotate the iron in adirection opposite to the movement of the table, the sprocket-wheel Nmay be dispensed with and the chain M led over the wheels K and L, asshown in Fig. 10. By this means the surface of the polishing-iron may becontinuously changed in operation to bring a heated surface into contactwith the goods.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In an ironing machine, thecombination, with a frame, of supports secured thereto, each supporthaving its lower end provided with a bearing, and one of the supportsbeing provided with a slot at its lower end, a movable bearing in theupper end of each of the supports, a polishing iron journaled in thebearings, one end of which is provided with a sprocket wheel, a frictionroller journaled in the bearings at the lower ends of the supports, oneend of which is provided with a sprocket wheel, an ironing table betweenthe roller and the iron, a stud adjustably secured in said slot in oneof the supports, a sprocket wheel upon the stud and a chain over saidsprocket wheels, substantially as set forth.

2. In an ironing machine, the combination, with a frame, the top sidepieces of which are each perforated, of a support secured to each of theside pieces adjacent the perforation, each support having a perforatedcross-arm, a vertically movable bearing in the upper end of eachsupport, an arm secured to said bearing, and projecting through thecrossarm and the side of the frame, an adjusting nut on the arm, aspring between the crossarm and the nut, a polishing iron journaled insaid bearings, a treadle pivotally secured to the frame, the upper endof which is adapted to engage with the lower ends of said springactuated arms, and a reciprocatory table under the polishing iron,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM PHILLIPS. Witnesses:

MARY A. I\IARTIN, N. S. WRIGHT.

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